Gaseous electric discharge lamp device



Feb. 11, 1936.

A. FEHSE El AL GAsEoUs ELECTRIC DISCHARGE LAMP DEVICE Filed Sept. '7, 1934 luil. unnam- 5 m T N E. V m

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 11, 1936 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Adolf Fehse, Berlin, and Herman Krefft, Berlin- Friedrichshagen, Germany, assig'nors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application September 7, 1934, Serial No. 743,160 In Germany September 26, 1933 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to gaseous electric discharge lamp devices generally and more particularly the invention relates to such devices of the type disclosed in co-pending application, Serial Number 642,319, filed November 11, 1932, the inventor being Karl Becker and co-pending application Serial Number 592,138, filed February 10, 1932, the inventors being Karl Becker and Marcello Pirani, wherein the discharge is a constricted discharge as distinguished from a difiuse discharge.

By a constricted discharge is meant a discharge which has the appearance of a luminous thread, string, or cord, appreciably smaller in diameter than the diameter of the container. By a diffuse discharge is meant a discharge which fills the bore of the container and from which the thread, string or cord efiect is absent.

A constricteddischarge is an efiicient, high intensity light source but the temperature therein is so high that a lamp container made of the usual container glasses, such as lead, lime or soda glass, softens and blackens and/or breaks if the discharge comes into close proximity to the walls of the container. This type of discharge has a tendency to shift its position in the container frequently approaching the container walls to their detriment during the operation of the lamp device and the structure of the lamp devices disclosed in the co-pending applications referred to prevents the discharge from coming into close proximity to the container walls.

The object of the present invention is to improve the structure and simplify the manufacture of gaseous electric discharge lamp devices of the above type. Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device and to its use and opera tion will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description.

In accordance with this object the invention comprises a tubular container having a thermionic electrode at each end thereof and achamber for each of said electrodes which chamber opens in the direction of the discharge path between said electrodes to guide the discharge away from the walls of the container and along the longitudinal axis thereof. The chamber is firmly supported by resilient means pressing against said chamber and the walls of said container.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification an embodiment of the invention is shown in a front elevational, partly sectional view.

Referring to the drawing the new and novel gaseous electric discharge lamp device comprises ends of said container I.

respectively. Said springs a tubular container I having a gaseous atmosphere therein comprising a gas, a gas mixture, a vapor, a mixture of vapors, or a mixture of a starting gas and a metal vapor, such as a mixture of argon and mercury vapor. Bases 2 and 3 are cemented onto opposite ends of said container I. Thermionic electrodes 4 and '5 are mounted on current leads 6 and 1 respectively sealed into the thickened parts 8 and 9 respectively at opposite Said electrodes 4 and consist of a closely coiled filament, such as a tungsten filament, wound around a compact rod of electron emitting material, such as barium oxide. When desired, the flament is coated with such material before being mounted in the container. The ends of said current leads 6 and 1 external to said container I are connected to the contacts I0 and II respectively of the bases 2 and 3 respectively. Each of said electrodes 4 and 5 is surrounded by a cup shaped metal chamber I2 and I3 respectively having a flange i2 and IS on the part thereof facing the discharge path between said electrodes 4 and 5. The discharge between said electrodes 4 and 5 passes through and is guided by the openings i4 and I5 formed in said chambers I 2 and I3 by said flanges I2 and I 3' and is thus prevented from coming into contact with the wall of said container I. Each of said chambers I2 and I3 has a circular groove 21 and 28 therein respectively into which fits a resilient, circular coiled spring I6 and I! I6 and Il press against the chambers I2 and I3 and against the inner wall of said container I to firmly support said chambers I2 and I3 in said container II and to separate said chambers I2 and I 3 from the walls of said container 9 Glass beads 18 and I dare fused to the leads 6 and V respectively and a slitted sleeve protruding from the rounded wall of each of said chambers I2 and i3 is clamped on said beads I8 and is by the wires 29 and 30 respectively. The metal chambers i2 and 3 are prevented from moving longitudinally along said container 5 and are electrically insulated from said current leads 6 and l which prevents the discharge from transferring to said chambers 2 and it during the operation of the device.

An auxiliary electrode 2t, mounted on the lead 22 which extends through the opening 2i in the chamber is and which is fused to the part 23 of the container 6 and connected to the contact pin. 28 of the box 3, is adjacent said electrode 5. Said contact pin 25 is connected by lead 25 and the resistance 2% to the contact pin it to which the lead 6 of the electrode 4 is connected. During the starting 01' the lamp device an auxiliary discharge takes place between said main electrode 5 and said auxiliary electrode 20 to facilitate the starting of the main discharge between said main discharge supporting electrodes 4 and 5.

The chambers I2 and I3 are easily mounted in said container I during the manufacture of the device and prevent the discharge from approaching the walls of the container I during the operation of the device. When the distance between said electrodes 4 and 5 is too great for the guiding efiect oi the chambers I 2 and I! to extend the length of the discharge guiding means, such as the perforated diaphragms, or half-discs, disclosed in the co-pending applications, are mounted along the container I between the chambers I2 and I3 to guide the discharge along the axis of the container I.

While we have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details oi the device illustrated and in its use and operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention, for example, each of said chambers I2 and I3 are supported by a pair of resilient, circular springs, when desired, and said container I likewise has circular grooves into which said springs fit to prevent longitudinal movement 0! said chambers I2 and I3 along said container I and the mechanical support between leads 8 and I and said chambers I2 and I3 is then omitted, when desired.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a container, electrodes and electrode leads sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a chamber in said container for each of said electrodes, said chambers being separated from said container, attached to said electrode leads and opening in the direction 01' the discharge path between said electrodes and resilient support means interposed between and pressing against the inner wall of said container and the outer wall of each of said chambers.

2. A gaseous electric discharge device comprising a container, electrodes and electrode leads sealed therein, a gaseous atmosphere therein, a metal chamber in said container for each of said electrodes, said chambers being separated from said container, attached to said electrode leads and opening in the direction of the discharge path between said electrodes and resilient support means interposed between and pressing against the inner wall 01' said container and the outer wall of said chamber, said chambers being electrically insulated from said leads.

ADQLF FEHSE. HERMANN vKI'wiEFLF'l. 

